March 8, 2008

OXFORD, Ohio--Miami University Athletics Director Brad Bates announced today (March 8) that Jermaine Henderson will serve as interim head coach for the men's basketball program for the remainder of the season while head coach Charlie Coles tends to some health-related matters.

"Charlie's well-being is the top priority right now," said Bates. "We look forward to welcoming him back when he is ready to return."

"We are very fortunate to have an alumnus of this university and this program who has been with Charlie as both a student-athlete and as an assistant coach/associate head coach during Charlie's entire Miami coaching tenure to lead the program until Charlie's return," continued Bates.

"We all greatly care about Coach Coles and all that he does for and means to this program," said Henderson. "For all that he has done for me over the years, it is the least I can do to step in for him in this role at this time and try to carry on his vision to help this team achieve the goals we hope to accomplish."

Henderson previously had filled in for Coles for the March 1 game versus Ohio University and the March 4 game at Kent State University.

Henderson, who earned his bachelor's degree from Miami University in 1997, was a four-year letterwinner for the Red and White from 1994-97 and served one year as a student-assistant coach under Coles and has been on the staff in a full-time capacity for the past 10 seasons. In June 2005, Henderson was promoted to the post of associate head coach, becoming the first in program history to hold the title.

As a player, he is one of just seven in program history to advance to postseason play all four years, playing in the 1995 and 1997 NCAA Tournaments and the 1994 and 1996 NITs. In 14 years as a player and a coach at Miami, he has been a part of eight teams to advance to postseason play. He also has been a part of two of Miami's four MAC Tournament titles, one as a player in 1997 and last year in 2007 as an associate head coach.

Miami hosts Bowling Green in the regular-season finale at noon on Sunday, March 9 before defending its 2007 Mid-American Conference Tournament title next week in the 2008 MAC Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland March 12-15.